Moving landlord's furniture & damp

nearlynomadic

I'm shortly moving to a new flat which comes fully furnished. For various circumstantial reasons, I am unable to be picky with which property I rent, and this has been the first suitable one that will take me. I do, however, have some of my own furniture which I would like to keep.

The flat comes with an unconverted basement. While I have not yet fully inspected the basement, I think there's a fair chance that it will be damp. If I move a few pieces of the LL's furniture to the LL's basement (on a tarp, away from the wall), and the damp in the basement causes damage to the LL's furniture, who is liable for the damage? Is it me for moving the LL's furniture there, or the LL for having damp in the property?

I'll ask, but I can't see the LL being willing to remove furniture - the LL is overseas and it's being managed by a big-name LA. I'm trying to work this out now as it affects whether or not I sell some furniture prior to moving!

Pixie5740

nearlynomadic wrote: »

I'm shortly moving to a new flat which comes fully furnished. For various circumstantial reasons, I am unable to be picky with which property I rent, and this has been the first suitable one that will take me. I do, however, have some of my own furniture which I would like to keep.

The flat comes with an unconverted basement. While I have not yet fully inspected the basement, I think there's a fair chance that it will be damp. If I move a few pieces of the LL's furniture to the LL's basement (on a tarp, away from the wall), and the damp in the basement causes damage to the LL's furniture, who is liable for the damage? Is it me for moving the LL's furniture there, or the LL for having damp in the property?

I'll ask, but I can't see the LL being willing to remove furniture - the LL is overseas and it's being managed by a big-name LA. I'm trying to work this out now as it affects whether or not I sell some furniture prior to moving!

If you put the furniture in the basement and it gets damaged then it's your responsibility because you will have stored the furniture in an unsuitable environment.

D_M_E

If you don't have a lot of stuff, would it be possible to rearrange the LL's stuff swo that you could fit yours in alongside what's already there?

saajan_12

nearlynomadic wrote: »

The flat comes with an unconverted basement. While I have not yet fully inspected the basement, I think there's a fair chance that it will be damp. If I move a few pieces of the LL's furniture to the LL's basement (on a tarp, away from the wall), and the damp in the basement causes damage to the LL's furniture, who is liable for the damage? Is it me for moving the LL's furniture there, or the LL for having damp in the property?

The LL has to provide a habitable property so e.g. no damp in your bedroom as a result of the state of repair, but that doesn't mean that every inch of the property has to be dry. You have a reasonable expectation that a bedroom will be dry but not an unconverted basement / shed / garden. IF you use something in a way that it was not intended, that is your responsibility. e.g. placing furniture in the basement / shed / garden.